1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,200 I am an enabler. I always find power in 2 00:00:03,200 --> 00:00:05,120 helping and finding the best version of 3 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:07,120 people. You may not guess from my 4 00:00:07,120 --> 00:00:09,440 accent, but I was born and raised in the 5 00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:12,719 ghetto of Paris. 6 00:00:12,719 --> 00:00:15,120 And a month, but most specifically with 7 00:00:15,120 --> 00:00:18,080 um with your biggest cheerleader, you 8 00:00:18,080 --> 00:00:19,439 can achieve anything that you want. If 9 00:00:19,439 --> 00:00:21,199 it's difficult, I want to try. If it's 10 00:00:21,199 --> 00:00:24,400 too easy, I get bored of it. 11 00:00:24,400 --> 00:00:26,880 True. Entrepreneurs are people who 12 00:00:26,880 --> 00:00:29,199 refuse to accept the status quo. Two 13 00:00:29,199 --> 00:00:30,880 choices that you can take, two position 14 00:00:30,880 --> 00:00:32,160 that you can take in life. You can 15 00:00:32,160 --> 00:00:34,079 choose to be a victim or you can choose 16 00:00:34,079 --> 00:00:36,160 to be a fighter. Leave with data, don't 17 00:00:36,160 --> 00:00:38,480 leave with feelings. We are in the 18 00:00:38,480 --> 00:00:41,200 biggest revolution that we can possibly 19 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:43,200 imagine right now and we have to jump on 20 00:00:43,200 --> 00:00:44,800 the wagon if we don't want to be left 21 00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:47,200 behind. Your first is your education. 22 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:51,440 You have to adapt but do not adopt any 23 00:00:51,440 --> 00:00:54,239 of their thinking. I've never thought 24 00:00:54,239 --> 00:00:56,239 about entrepreneurship as the journey to 25 00:00:56,239 --> 00:00:58,320 take, but I thought about the 26 00:00:58,320 --> 00:00:59,920 opportunities or the challenges that 27 00:00:59,920 --> 00:01:01,120 need to be fixed. You're not for 28 00:01:01,120 --> 00:01:04,300 everyone and not everyone is for you. 29 00:01:04,300 --> 00:01:08,310 [Music] 30 00:01:08,880 --> 00:01:10,400 Welcome to Disruption Now. I'm your host 31 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:12,560 and moderator Rob Richardson. With me is 32 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:15,680 Favlla Fong Gang who is a is a serial 33 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:17,520 entrepreneur and you know she's had 34 00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:19,280 multiple careers. She lives she's lived 35 00:01:19,280 --> 00:01:21,680 multiple lives like myself. Uh been in 36 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:24,400 fashion, been in oil and gas. Uh she's 37 00:01:24,400 --> 00:01:26,479 an ecosystem builder and and now she is 38 00:01:26,479 --> 00:01:28,640 building black rise. She's also uh 39 00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:30,640 helped black women and women in general 40 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:32,720 get into tech uh be their authentic 41 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:34,880 selves and and really fight for them to 42 00:01:34,880 --> 00:01:36,400 to to know that they belong at the 43 00:01:36,400 --> 00:01:39,040 table. So Flla, great to have you here. 44 00:01:39,040 --> 00:01:41,360 Listen, such a pleasure to reconnect 45 00:01:41,360 --> 00:01:44,320 after the great in Cincinnati. So thank 46 00:01:44,320 --> 00:01:46,479 you for having me. No, thank you. And as 47 00:01:46,479 --> 00:01:48,399 always, please like, subscribe. You get 48 00:01:48,399 --> 00:01:50,799 to meet more disruptors like Favlla and 49 00:01:50,799 --> 00:01:53,040 others. And we have our annual Midwest 50 00:01:53,040 --> 00:01:54,880 Con. We'd love to see you September 10th 51 00:01:54,880 --> 00:01:57,439 of the 11th here at 1819 where I host 52 00:01:57,439 --> 00:02:00,079 the podcast. So, so Favlla, it's uh it's 53 00:02:00,079 --> 00:02:01,840 great to have you on. I like to get to 54 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:03,600 know our guests before we kind of go 55 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:05,119 down the path of what you're doing in 56 00:02:05,119 --> 00:02:07,040 tech, how you're changing the world. Uh 57 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:09,200 really to figure out how you got to be 58 00:02:09,200 --> 00:02:11,760 who you are. So, uh, my first question 59 00:02:11,760 --> 00:02:14,160 is a general one like what is your story 60 00:02:14,160 --> 00:02:16,480 and who are you? And and to put it in 61 00:02:16,480 --> 00:02:18,720 context how I how I briefly tell my 62 00:02:18,720 --> 00:02:20,640 story is I'm always that kid that was 63 00:02:20,640 --> 00:02:22,480 told by a teacher that I would never go 64 00:02:22,480 --> 00:02:24,400 to college, I would never achieve just 65 00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:27,360 because I uh didn't do well early and I 66 00:02:27,360 --> 00:02:29,599 have ADHD which I consider a superpower 67 00:02:29,599 --> 00:02:32,480 now. But like uh that teacher I've been 68 00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:34,400 not proving her wrong but proving myself 69 00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:36,640 and defining myself since then. That's 70 00:02:36,640 --> 00:02:38,080 that's my story from and that's the 71 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:39,680 that's the reason a lot of motivation 72 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:42,720 behind uh why I do what I do why I fight 73 00:02:42,720 --> 00:02:45,040 for the communities I fight for. But 74 00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:46,879 what's your story and who are you? Yeah, 75 00:02:46,879 --> 00:02:48,800 I love it. It's such a great way to uh 76 00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:50,800 that's such a great comeback for me. I 77 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:52,319 think the best way to define myself I'll 78 00:02:52,319 --> 00:02:54,480 probably say that I am an enabler. I've 79 00:02:54,480 --> 00:02:57,040 always find power in helping and finding 80 00:02:57,040 --> 00:02:59,440 the best version of people you know that 81 00:02:59,440 --> 00:03:01,840 anybody that I encounter. So yes. So my 82 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:04,080 journey people may not guess from my 83 00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:06,400 accent but I was born and raised in the 84 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:11,200 ghetto of Paris and from there my my 85 00:03:11,200 --> 00:03:13,280 story started and probably wasn't as 86 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:14,800 great as people could imagine you know 87 00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:16,239 born in a ghetto you probably think that 88 00:03:16,239 --> 00:03:18,159 I'm going to turn back but I think when 89 00:03:18,159 --> 00:03:20,400 you have parents and a mom but more 90 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:22,879 specifically who is um who is your 91 00:03:22,879 --> 00:03:25,519 biggest cheerleader who supports you and 92 00:03:25,519 --> 00:03:28,480 really just gives you a sense of true 93 00:03:28,480 --> 00:03:30,319 selfworth you can achieve anything that 94 00:03:30,319 --> 00:03:32,080 you want And I think I've always been by 95 00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:35,040 nature attracted by the unknown and the 96 00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:36,720 challenge. Like if it's difficult, I 97 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:38,879 want to try. If it's too easy, I get 98 00:03:38,879 --> 00:03:42,000 bored of it. Yeah. So, so yes, when I 99 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:45,360 left Paris in my teens coming to London, 100 00:03:45,360 --> 00:03:47,599 I didn't speak a word of English, but I 101 00:03:47,599 --> 00:03:50,319 had to study at the same time. So, um 102 00:03:50,319 --> 00:03:53,920 over overly curious, you know, scared, 103 00:03:53,920 --> 00:03:56,239 but also going moving forward was super 104 00:03:56,239 --> 00:03:58,159 important with whatever I've achieved in 105 00:03:58,159 --> 00:04:00,400 life. And then so then what I did is 106 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:03,280 that left university with loads of 107 00:04:03,280 --> 00:04:05,599 degrees but unfortunately not enough 108 00:04:05,599 --> 00:04:08,799 experience to take me in further and um 109 00:04:08,799 --> 00:04:10,560 I had to start from from scratch which 110 00:04:10,560 --> 00:04:14,159 was working as a receptionist but was 111 00:04:14,159 --> 00:04:15,519 and I say that all the time because it's 112 00:04:15,519 --> 00:04:18,400 important to understand that you know I 113 00:04:18,400 --> 00:04:21,440 I chose this job and because I was also 114 00:04:21,440 --> 00:04:23,919 asking the right question. So people 115 00:04:23,919 --> 00:04:25,759 often I always say that when I when I 116 00:04:25,759 --> 00:04:27,919 hire people they don't ask me when I 117 00:04:27,919 --> 00:04:29,199 recruit interview people they don't ask 118 00:04:29,199 --> 00:04:30,800 me the right questions is because they 119 00:04:30,800 --> 00:04:32,800 don't ask any questions and you always 120 00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:34,800 ask questions because you want to know 121 00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:36,960 what are the potential that you can 122 00:04:36,960 --> 00:04:38,639 achieve this company and that's what I 123 00:04:38,639 --> 00:04:40,240 that's what I found out and that's why I 124 00:04:40,240 --> 00:04:42,080 joined and then in two years I was 125 00:04:42,080 --> 00:04:43,680 managing a department which was really 126 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:46,080 good. So with that, if you can because 127 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:47,759 you got there, you get there quickly. I 128 00:04:47,759 --> 00:04:49,759 just want to say so. Yes. Sounds like 129 00:04:49,759 --> 00:04:52,639 your mother was a driving force behind 130 00:04:52,639 --> 00:04:55,360 shaping your values. Correct. Yes. 131 00:04:55,360 --> 00:04:57,759 Always. How do how does she do that for 132 00:04:57,759 --> 00:04:59,680 you? Because one doesn't come out and 133 00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:01,600 just say um some people are naturally 134 00:05:01,600 --> 00:05:05,280 just bold change makers. Normally it 135 00:05:05,280 --> 00:05:08,479 takes some uh you know input and and 136 00:05:08,479 --> 00:05:09,680 from our parents which it sounds like 137 00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:11,039 your mother did. How does she shape your 138 00:05:11,039 --> 00:05:13,039 values? Like yeah, my mom is my mom is a 139 00:05:13,039 --> 00:05:15,759 storyteller. She always use a personal 140 00:05:15,759 --> 00:05:17,600 stories to really inspire to make to 141 00:05:17,600 --> 00:05:19,039 inspire us to make sure that we don't 142 00:05:19,039 --> 00:05:21,039 make the same mistakes. She she would 143 00:05:21,039 --> 00:05:23,360 tell us in a way that we can understand 144 00:05:23,360 --> 00:05:24,960 and I think that's that's one thing that 145 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:27,840 my mom always done you know and um we 146 00:05:27,840 --> 00:05:29,360 always had long conversations sometime 147 00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:31,840 too long for us not to be like come on 148 00:05:31,840 --> 00:05:34,080 can we go to bed where she make sure 149 00:05:34,080 --> 00:05:36,160 that we don't make the mistakes and you 150 00:05:36,160 --> 00:05:37,919 know out of transparency my mom had her 151 00:05:37,919 --> 00:05:39,680 first child when she was 16 years old. 152 00:05:39,680 --> 00:05:41,680 Oh wow. And I imagine Yeah. So having a 153 00:05:41,680 --> 00:05:43,520 child at this age, she really wanted to 154 00:05:43,520 --> 00:05:46,080 make sure that we don't end up the same 155 00:05:46,080 --> 00:05:47,759 way she did, which was not bad. I mean, 156 00:05:47,759 --> 00:05:49,520 she's grateful for the children that she 157 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:51,759 had, but you know, she wanted us to 158 00:05:51,759 --> 00:05:54,800 prioritize our education. So one thing 159 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:56,000 that she say all the time is that your 160 00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:58,720 first husband is your your first husband 161 00:05:58,720 --> 00:06:00,240 is your education. So what are you 162 00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:02,160 doing? And that's why I'm an obsessive 163 00:06:02,160 --> 00:06:04,160 learner. You know, learning new skills. 164 00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:05,919 You know, AI right now is something that 165 00:06:05,919 --> 00:06:08,479 I love and continuously learn from and 166 00:06:08,479 --> 00:06:10,319 so forth. So that's one thing that she's 167 00:06:10,319 --> 00:06:12,240 done. It wasn't just talking for 168 00:06:12,240 --> 00:06:13,840 talking, but if you put things in the 169 00:06:13,840 --> 00:06:15,120 story, it's easy for someone to 170 00:06:15,120 --> 00:06:17,280 remember, and that's what she did. So, 171 00:06:17,280 --> 00:06:18,319 storytelling, you talk about 172 00:06:18,319 --> 00:06:20,479 storytelling a lot. I've read a lot 173 00:06:20,479 --> 00:06:22,160 about you, of course, and know and and 174 00:06:22,160 --> 00:06:24,720 we met uh once, but I feel like we're 175 00:06:24,720 --> 00:06:26,960 already connected. Uh, but you talk 176 00:06:26,960 --> 00:06:28,479 about the power of storytelling, how 177 00:06:28,479 --> 00:06:31,280 that's so important, like it became 178 00:06:31,280 --> 00:06:32,479 important to you because the the values 179 00:06:32,479 --> 00:06:34,319 your mother passed down. How do you 180 00:06:34,319 --> 00:06:35,919 advise people on the importance of 181 00:06:35,919 --> 00:06:38,400 telling stories? And if you're not a 182 00:06:38,400 --> 00:06:40,720 natural storyteller, how do you tell 183 00:06:40,720 --> 00:06:43,680 people to to tap into that power? I 184 00:06:43,680 --> 00:06:46,240 think I wouldn't think that anybody is 185 00:06:46,240 --> 00:06:48,319 not a storyteller. Anybody can tell a 186 00:06:48,319 --> 00:06:50,000 story of that happened to their life. 187 00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:51,919 You know, there's always a, you know, a 188 00:06:51,919 --> 00:06:54,240 moment, a starting point to a middle 189 00:06:54,240 --> 00:06:56,319 part to an end. And I think it's 190 00:06:56,319 --> 00:06:58,319 important to just sometime, you know, 191 00:06:58,319 --> 00:06:59,759 I've been a marketer for a very long 192 00:06:59,759 --> 00:07:02,160 time and people often when they try to 193 00:07:02,160 --> 00:07:04,319 be commercial lose a sense of what it 194 00:07:04,319 --> 00:07:05,759 is. If you were talking to a friend, you 195 00:07:05,759 --> 00:07:06,960 were telling a story to a friend, how 196 00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:08,479 would how would it sound like? How do 197 00:07:08,479 --> 00:07:10,560 you keep them captivated? Think about 198 00:07:10,560 --> 00:07:12,639 that. I think quite often when people 199 00:07:12,639 --> 00:07:14,479 tell stories and if you're not doing to 200 00:07:14,479 --> 00:07:16,400 a person who's in front of them, they go 201 00:07:16,400 --> 00:07:18,800 too commercial and they lose that sense 202 00:07:18,800 --> 00:07:20,880 and that's people don't pay attention. 203 00:07:20,880 --> 00:07:22,560 It's always interest. It's always 204 00:07:22,560 --> 00:07:24,000 important to think about who's in front 205 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:25,919 of you. How would you how would you get 206 00:07:25,919 --> 00:07:27,280 their attention? How would you keep them 207 00:07:27,280 --> 00:07:29,520 hooked? Don't tell everything. Keep them 208 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:32,000 interested and keep them holding on for 209 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:33,919 wanting to to know more. Right? And I 210 00:07:33,919 --> 00:07:35,759 think that's what's important is that if 211 00:07:35,759 --> 00:07:37,039 you think about how you tell a story to 212 00:07:37,039 --> 00:07:38,560 a friend, you use the same approach as 213 00:07:38,560 --> 00:07:40,960 if you are doing a telling a story in a 214 00:07:40,960 --> 00:07:42,560 commercial manner. But how do you do 215 00:07:42,560 --> 00:07:44,400 that? Like I think it's it's like 216 00:07:44,400 --> 00:07:45,680 practically speaking it makes sense, 217 00:07:45,680 --> 00:07:47,280 right? Don't go commercial. Don't go 218 00:07:47,280 --> 00:07:50,080 corporate. Uh but of course you are not 219 00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:52,400 talking to this person. This person is 220 00:07:52,400 --> 00:07:53,680 is you're you're talking to them but 221 00:07:53,680 --> 00:07:56,080 they're not there. And you want to 222 00:07:56,080 --> 00:07:58,240 figure out I think it's it's it's you 223 00:07:58,240 --> 00:07:59,599 got to figure out how to reach that 224 00:07:59,599 --> 00:08:02,240 person. So my question is how do you how 225 00:08:02,240 --> 00:08:03,759 do you how do you balance on how to 226 00:08:03,759 --> 00:08:06,000 reach that person while also trying to 227 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:08,319 make sure you keep your authentic self 228 00:08:08,319 --> 00:08:10,000 when you tell the story because I think 229 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:12,720 it feels like it feels like often people 230 00:08:12,720 --> 00:08:14,960 lose it and they become corporate uh you 231 00:08:14,960 --> 00:08:18,000 know whatever you want to say uh in that 232 00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:19,759 they lose the authenticity of who they 233 00:08:19,759 --> 00:08:22,319 naturally are trying to I think speak to 234 00:08:22,319 --> 00:08:24,560 people in a way they think they want to 235 00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:27,280 be spoken to. So, how do you balance 236 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:29,120 that out? Because I I believe that's how 237 00:08:29,120 --> 00:08:31,199 people end up falling for that. They 238 00:08:31,199 --> 00:08:32,959 kind of they kind of say, "Okay, how 239 00:08:32,959 --> 00:08:34,320 would people want to hear it?" So, how 240 00:08:34,320 --> 00:08:36,719 do you balance that between being your 241 00:08:36,719 --> 00:08:39,839 authentic self? Yes. So, the first part 242 00:08:39,839 --> 00:08:42,479 of of being a great storyteller is to 243 00:08:42,479 --> 00:08:44,720 recognize recognize who is your tribe. 244 00:08:44,720 --> 00:08:46,800 Who who do you want to appeal to? You're 245 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:48,480 not for everyone and not everyone is for 246 00:08:48,480 --> 00:08:50,240 you. when you know who you want to 247 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:52,000 appeal to is really understanding in 248 00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:54,080 terms of what are their interests and 249 00:08:54,080 --> 00:08:55,920 what are the challenges what really 250 00:08:55,920 --> 00:08:57,519 matters to them and how do you feel you 251 00:08:57,519 --> 00:08:59,440 can provide value so these are two 252 00:08:59,440 --> 00:09:01,440 things like who is your tribe whatever 253 00:09:01,440 --> 00:09:02,800 challenges or problems that they have in 254 00:09:02,800 --> 00:09:04,320 their life and if you can resonate with 255 00:09:04,320 --> 00:09:06,560 that you have the this is your hook for 256 00:09:06,560 --> 00:09:08,560 example if I wanted to speak to black 257 00:09:08,560 --> 00:09:10,320 women in technology or black women who 258 00:09:10,320 --> 00:09:11,600 interesting in changing career or 259 00:09:11,600 --> 00:09:13,680 transitioning to careers I would say if 260 00:09:13,680 --> 00:09:15,200 you are interested in changing career 261 00:09:15,200 --> 00:09:16,959 let me tell you how I've done it and I 262 00:09:16,959 --> 00:09:18,800 would take my story as an example to 263 00:09:18,800 --> 00:09:20,880 tell them the same challenges that they 264 00:09:20,880 --> 00:09:23,440 probably recognize are there right now. 265 00:09:23,440 --> 00:09:26,160 What did I do to get there? So with a a 266 00:09:26,160 --> 00:09:28,560 road map to my journey and also the end 267 00:09:28,560 --> 00:09:30,480 the results so they can see themselves 268 00:09:30,480 --> 00:09:32,160 into it. And this is why for me it's so 269 00:09:32,160 --> 00:09:34,240 important for us, you know, in our 270 00:09:34,240 --> 00:09:35,760 community as well to become more and 271 00:09:35,760 --> 00:09:37,279 more storyteller because a lot of people 272 00:09:37,279 --> 00:09:39,839 cannot fathom that we have within the 273 00:09:39,839 --> 00:09:41,200 black community that we have so much 274 00:09:41,200 --> 00:09:42,800 knowledge across so many industries, 275 00:09:42,800 --> 00:09:45,120 right? And that's why I do it. People 276 00:09:45,120 --> 00:09:46,640 just like you're always online. It's 277 00:09:46,640 --> 00:09:48,320 like I feel like I'm always online, but 278 00:09:48,320 --> 00:09:49,839 I'm not doing it for myself. I'm doing 279 00:09:49,839 --> 00:09:51,360 it because I need to inspire somebody 280 00:09:51,360 --> 00:09:53,360 out there who may think, "Wow, she looks 281 00:09:53,360 --> 00:09:55,120 like me. She can do it. I can do it 282 00:09:55,120 --> 00:09:57,519 too." Because I think about my journey 283 00:09:57,519 --> 00:09:59,760 to becoming a storyteller. I wasn't good 284 00:09:59,760 --> 00:10:01,920 at the beginning. But it takes practice 285 00:10:01,920 --> 00:10:04,399 and time to see what hooked on it, 286 00:10:04,399 --> 00:10:06,640 right? I think start with who do you 287 00:10:06,640 --> 00:10:08,720 want to appeal to? Who is your tribe? 288 00:10:08,720 --> 00:10:09,920 What how do you understand their 289 00:10:09,920 --> 00:10:11,680 problem, the challenge that they have? 290 00:10:11,680 --> 00:10:14,079 How can you resonate with them and tell 291 00:10:14,079 --> 00:10:16,640 them your story? And then from that you 292 00:10:16,640 --> 00:10:19,120 know find the you know the step by step 293 00:10:19,120 --> 00:10:20,160 that you can create so they can 294 00:10:20,160 --> 00:10:21,920 understand that they can achieve it too 295 00:10:21,920 --> 00:10:24,959 and use story to reinforce the validity 296 00:10:24,959 --> 00:10:27,040 of your point and that's how you get it. 297 00:10:27,040 --> 00:10:29,279 And it's so easy to remember somebody 298 00:10:29,279 --> 00:10:32,000 that told you something that made sense 299 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:36,079 to you that a completely theoretical you 300 00:10:36,079 --> 00:10:38,480 know copy writing kind of style. 301 00:10:38,480 --> 00:10:40,720 Exactly. Exactly. So you know you talk I 302 00:10:40,720 --> 00:10:42,880 I believe that's the opportunity and 303 00:10:42,880 --> 00:10:44,160 challenge in the age of AI because 304 00:10:44,160 --> 00:10:45,680 everybody thinks you could just copy it. 305 00:10:45,680 --> 00:10:47,440 No, you still got to know who you 306 00:10:47,440 --> 00:10:49,920 uniquely are and how you are solving the 307 00:10:49,920 --> 00:10:51,120 problem. So the most important thing 308 00:10:51,120 --> 00:10:53,600 with AI is you know clarity of vision, 309 00:10:53,600 --> 00:10:55,600 clarity of uh of the problem you're 310 00:10:55,600 --> 00:10:56,880 trying to solve of your community of 311 00:10:56,880 --> 00:10:59,680 your tribe. Yeah, I want to get to like 312 00:10:59,680 --> 00:11:01,200 um I want to get to I want I want to 313 00:11:01,200 --> 00:11:02,640 come back to building your tribe because 314 00:11:02,640 --> 00:11:04,640 you've talked you talk a lot about that. 315 00:11:04,640 --> 00:11:06,000 You know, you talked about reaching them 316 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:07,680 and you and and you've also gone into 317 00:11:07,680 --> 00:11:09,920 the importance of entrepreneurs 318 00:11:09,920 --> 00:11:12,000 understanding building and scaling their 319 00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:14,480 tribe. But I want to get to you also to 320 00:11:14,480 --> 00:11:15,920 talk about your entrepreneurial journey 321 00:11:15,920 --> 00:11:18,560 like when did you know you wanted to do 322 00:11:18,560 --> 00:11:20,880 what you're doing now? When did you know 323 00:11:20,880 --> 00:11:22,160 that you wanted to become an 324 00:11:22,160 --> 00:11:24,720 entrepreneur and an ecosystem builder? 325 00:11:24,720 --> 00:11:27,200 I don't think I ever It's interesting 326 00:11:27,200 --> 00:11:29,200 that you asked me this question because 327 00:11:29,200 --> 00:11:31,279 I've never thought about 328 00:11:31,279 --> 00:11:33,200 entrepreneurship as the journey to take 329 00:11:33,200 --> 00:11:35,920 but I thought about the opportunities of 330 00:11:35,920 --> 00:11:37,360 the challenges that need to be fixed. 331 00:11:37,360 --> 00:11:39,440 That's probably how I saw it. So my 332 00:11:39,440 --> 00:11:41,920 journey as an entrepreneur started after 333 00:11:41,920 --> 00:11:45,600 this first job that I took and um you 334 00:11:45,600 --> 00:11:48,000 know I saw a gap in the market and you 335 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:49,760 know when I see a gap in the market and 336 00:11:49,760 --> 00:11:51,920 I saw that nobody was trying to fix it 337 00:11:51,920 --> 00:11:55,519 and how I I how I saw it needed to be 338 00:11:55,519 --> 00:11:57,680 done I decided that I need to be I need 339 00:11:57,680 --> 00:11:59,519 to do it myself. That's pretty much how 340 00:11:59,519 --> 00:12:02,160 my journey started. I've always saw 341 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:04,720 myself as a problem solver. I don't like 342 00:12:04,720 --> 00:12:06,720 to do you know the way the way I think 343 00:12:06,720 --> 00:12:08,240 about entrepreneurship is that we are 344 00:12:08,240 --> 00:12:10,399 people who are who are dare who dare to 345 00:12:10,399 --> 00:12:12,000 take the challenge is to think that we 346 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:13,360 can solve a problem that people have 347 00:12:13,360 --> 00:12:15,279 normalized. So if you think about life 348 00:12:15,279 --> 00:12:17,279 before Uber people always for the I'm 349 00:12:17,279 --> 00:12:18,639 going to wait on the side road and wait 350 00:12:18,639 --> 00:12:20,560 for the taxi to find taxi until someone 351 00:12:20,560 --> 00:12:22,079 say you know what that shouldn't be the 352 00:12:22,079 --> 00:12:24,399 norm. We shouldn't do things that way or 353 00:12:24,399 --> 00:12:25,920 you know if you think about having to 354 00:12:25,920 --> 00:12:27,760 order food or I have to go to the corner 355 00:12:27,760 --> 00:12:29,360 store to get some food. No wait a minute 356 00:12:29,360 --> 00:12:31,440 I can't do this right. So the 357 00:12:31,440 --> 00:12:33,200 entrepreneurs have people who like who 358 00:12:33,200 --> 00:12:35,440 refuse to accept the status quo. And 359 00:12:35,440 --> 00:12:37,040 that's what I am like I see a problem 360 00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:38,240 like that doesn't make sense. Why are we 361 00:12:38,240 --> 00:12:39,440 still doing things this way? It doesn't 362 00:12:39,440 --> 00:12:41,839 make sense. And then I look for if is 363 00:12:41,839 --> 00:12:43,440 anybody's trying to solve it. Okay. If 364 00:12:43,440 --> 00:12:44,959 nobody's trying to solve it, I'm not 365 00:12:44,959 --> 00:12:47,040 going to take on every ideas that I that 366 00:12:47,040 --> 00:12:49,920 I that I have. But sometime I decid you 367 00:12:49,920 --> 00:12:52,639 well maybe I should try this idea. So my 368 00:12:52,639 --> 00:12:54,720 journey to entrepreneurship started by 369 00:12:54,720 --> 00:12:57,519 just a lack as well. quite often the 370 00:12:57,519 --> 00:13:00,399 lack is that's where entrepreneurship 371 00:13:00,399 --> 00:13:02,560 comes from. So again, you know, when I 372 00:13:02,560 --> 00:13:03,920 say I'm from Pis say, "Oh my gosh, 373 00:13:03,920 --> 00:13:05,200 you're so lucky." But you know, I grew 374 00:13:05,200 --> 00:13:07,360 up in the ghetto of Pis in a sense that 375 00:13:07,360 --> 00:13:10,880 we my mom only gave us one pair of 376 00:13:10,880 --> 00:13:12,320 trainers per year because like I'm going 377 00:13:12,320 --> 00:13:13,920 to give you whatever trainers you want, 378 00:13:13,920 --> 00:13:16,000 but just know that's your only pair. So 379 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:18,000 training or sneakers, 380 00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:19,279 I would say in the States, right? You 381 00:13:19,279 --> 00:13:21,279 got to use those sneakers. Well, you 382 00:13:21,279 --> 00:13:24,959 Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. sneakers. And um 383 00:13:24,959 --> 00:13:27,120 and then so my sister and I remember 384 00:13:27,120 --> 00:13:29,040 like we used to buy clothes from vintage 385 00:13:29,040 --> 00:13:30,639 stores. So we started like creating our 386 00:13:30,639 --> 00:13:32,480 own things and changing around and you 387 00:13:32,480 --> 00:13:34,880 know and just we develop that curiosity 388 00:13:34,880 --> 00:13:36,959 and and entrepreneurship by the idea of 389 00:13:36,959 --> 00:13:39,360 of changing things innovating and so and 390 00:13:39,360 --> 00:13:41,120 so on and I think that from that it just 391 00:13:41,120 --> 00:13:43,760 becomes so natural and you do it uh all 392 00:13:43,760 --> 00:13:45,360 the time and then as I said that you 393 00:13:45,360 --> 00:13:47,519 know I define myself as an enabler that 394 00:13:47,519 --> 00:13:49,279 I'm able to look at someone say oh wow 395 00:13:49,279 --> 00:13:50,560 you're good at this have you thought 396 00:13:50,560 --> 00:13:52,959 about this and so I'm always seeing a 397 00:13:52,959 --> 00:13:56,320 version that is not present and the the 398 00:13:56,320 --> 00:13:58,959 f the possible future even if it's not 399 00:13:58,959 --> 00:14:01,199 there. So my journey to entrepreneurship 400 00:14:01,199 --> 00:14:03,760 was very organic but also I should say 401 00:14:03,760 --> 00:14:05,760 that I'm always been surrounded by 402 00:14:05,760 --> 00:14:07,120 entrepreneur. My father was an 403 00:14:07,120 --> 00:14:09,199 entrepreneur so we had multiple careers. 404 00:14:09,199 --> 00:14:10,800 My mom is a side you know she had so 405 00:14:10,800 --> 00:14:12,320 many side hustle. She was making things 406 00:14:12,320 --> 00:14:14,160 on the side. Yeah. So people just like 407 00:14:14,160 --> 00:14:15,680 you know I'm not accepting just this. 408 00:14:15,680 --> 00:14:17,120 I'm always have different streams of 409 00:14:17,120 --> 00:14:19,199 income. So when you're surrounded by 410 00:14:19,199 --> 00:14:20,480 people like that you naturally think 411 00:14:20,480 --> 00:14:22,399 that if you can do it I can do it too. 412 00:14:22,399 --> 00:14:26,079 Right. So your environment shapes you. 413 00:14:26,079 --> 00:14:27,920 The the challenges and the struggles 414 00:14:27,920 --> 00:14:29,839 that you go through shapes you as well. 415 00:14:29,839 --> 00:14:31,600 And I always say there's two choices 416 00:14:31,600 --> 00:14:33,199 that you can take. Two position that you 417 00:14:33,199 --> 00:14:34,800 can take in life. You can choose to be a 418 00:14:34,800 --> 00:14:36,560 victim or you can choose to be a 419 00:14:36,560 --> 00:14:39,920 fighter. And I chose to not accept no 420 00:14:39,920 --> 00:14:42,959 for an answer. I chose to uh not define 421 00:14:42,959 --> 00:14:44,880 you know what people have have chosen 422 00:14:44,880 --> 00:14:46,160 for me. You know people say, "Oh, you 423 00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:47,680 should be a secretary." And I realized 424 00:14:47,680 --> 00:14:50,240 that doesn't make sense. So I listen to 425 00:14:50,240 --> 00:14:52,959 voices when it makes sense to me. And um 426 00:14:52,959 --> 00:14:54,560 and uh and I'm not afraid to get to 427 00:14:54,560 --> 00:14:56,639 challenge people have of me and and even 428 00:14:56,639 --> 00:14:58,800 if they they have a perception of me, it 429 00:14:58,800 --> 00:15:00,320 doesn't bother me. You know, I've I've 430 00:15:00,320 --> 00:15:02,240 been sitting in boards where I'm the 431 00:15:02,240 --> 00:15:03,920 only black woman surrounded by white men 432 00:15:03,920 --> 00:15:05,279 and they come into room with thinking 433 00:15:05,279 --> 00:15:06,320 that oh my gosh, she's the one who's 434 00:15:06,320 --> 00:15:08,160 going to make coffee. Then I'm the one 435 00:15:08,160 --> 00:15:09,519 who leads the meeting. And you know 436 00:15:09,519 --> 00:15:11,839 what? It's surprisingly 437 00:15:11,839 --> 00:15:14,720 um for them to not see that. But at the 438 00:15:14,720 --> 00:15:16,800 same time, they're also pleased to see 439 00:15:16,800 --> 00:15:18,959 that well actually this is good. I 440 00:15:18,959 --> 00:15:20,639 wanted to see this. maybe maybe I need 441 00:15:20,639 --> 00:15:23,600 to think further and um that's what I 442 00:15:23,600 --> 00:15:26,079 love is that's definitely the hope right 443 00:15:26,079 --> 00:15:27,920 I think it's the hope that people see 444 00:15:27,920 --> 00:15:30,320 that obviously the current environment 445 00:15:30,320 --> 00:15:32,240 of where we are in the world certainly 446 00:15:32,240 --> 00:15:35,440 America I don't know if uh London some 447 00:15:35,440 --> 00:15:37,040 of Europe is going to the to this 448 00:15:37,040 --> 00:15:40,880 direction too of um of really uh kind of 449 00:15:40,880 --> 00:15:43,760 questioning the value of diversity you 450 00:15:43,760 --> 00:15:44,880 obviously believe in the value of 451 00:15:44,880 --> 00:15:46,480 diversity 452 00:15:46,480 --> 00:15:49,360 how do you as an entrepreneur 453 00:15:49,360 --> 00:15:51,120 um that you know is successful but 454 00:15:51,120 --> 00:15:52,560 happens to be diverse and cares about 455 00:15:52,560 --> 00:15:55,519 diverse communities. How do you advise 456 00:15:55,519 --> 00:15:57,199 entrepreneurs in this climate where 457 00:15:57,199 --> 00:15:59,519 people are trying to say that there's no 458 00:15:59,519 --> 00:16:02,959 value in diversity to move forward when 459 00:16:02,959 --> 00:16:05,360 people are trying to erase diversity as 460 00:16:05,360 --> 00:16:08,000 even uh something to discuss. 461 00:16:08,000 --> 00:16:10,959 I think I love this and uh I'm not going 462 00:16:10,959 --> 00:16:13,759 to claim to be a DNA expert either, but 463 00:16:13,759 --> 00:16:16,560 I think I'm a businessminded person and 464 00:16:16,560 --> 00:16:20,480 I think it's important that your agenda 465 00:16:20,480 --> 00:16:22,639 the agenda that you have shouldn't be 466 00:16:22,639 --> 00:16:25,199 the one that you say to your to your 467 00:16:25,199 --> 00:16:27,920 target to your to your prospect. What I 468 00:16:27,920 --> 00:16:29,680 mean by that is that you have to 469 00:16:29,680 --> 00:16:31,920 understand what is the commercial value 470 00:16:31,920 --> 00:16:33,759 that you bring to the table, you know. 471 00:16:33,759 --> 00:16:38,240 So, and often people perceive DNA as a 472 00:16:38,240 --> 00:16:40,880 charity case. They don't ne necessarily 473 00:16:40,880 --> 00:16:43,360 see the bottom line or the dollar behind 474 00:16:43,360 --> 00:16:45,120 this. Like what does it mean when I'm 475 00:16:45,120 --> 00:16:47,279 when I have a brand that speaks to a 476 00:16:47,279 --> 00:16:49,199 diverse audience? I'm more people buying 477 00:16:49,199 --> 00:16:52,160 from that product. So, for example, and 478 00:16:52,160 --> 00:16:54,560 I'm telling that, you know, since Amazon 479 00:16:54,560 --> 00:16:55,839 announced that they're pulling it for 480 00:16:55,839 --> 00:16:57,680 DNI, I'm being much more conscious. I 481 00:16:57,680 --> 00:16:59,600 used to buy from Amazon, my eyes closed. 482 00:16:59,600 --> 00:17:00,639 Now, I'm like, you know what, let me 483 00:17:00,639 --> 00:17:02,800 look at the alternatives. And this is 484 00:17:02,800 --> 00:17:04,079 something that I'm going to do that like 485 00:17:04,079 --> 00:17:06,160 if I come find if I'll try to see if I 486 00:17:06,160 --> 00:17:08,079 can't find on Amazon and if I can't find 487 00:17:08,079 --> 00:17:09,360 if I can't find anywhere else then I 488 00:17:09,360 --> 00:17:11,280 come back to Amazon. But if it didn't do 489 00:17:11,280 --> 00:17:13,439 that I would have just continuously 490 00:17:13,439 --> 00:17:16,480 convenient conveniently buy from Amazon. 491 00:17:16,480 --> 00:17:20,559 So we also have to make people realize 492 00:17:20,559 --> 00:17:24,079 that the dollar you know the power of 493 00:17:24,079 --> 00:17:26,000 your every dollar that we have. That's 494 00:17:26,000 --> 00:17:28,480 exactly right. Yeah. If they understand 495 00:17:28,480 --> 00:17:30,799 that then they pay attention to it. So 496 00:17:30,799 --> 00:17:32,799 that's why it's important I would say to 497 00:17:32,799 --> 00:17:35,679 an entrepreneurs to lead with data. 498 00:17:35,679 --> 00:17:37,360 Don't lead with feelings. Lead with 499 00:17:37,360 --> 00:17:39,679 data. Lead with data. Don't lead with 500 00:17:39,679 --> 00:17:41,440 feelings because you bring value, right? 501 00:17:41,440 --> 00:17:43,280 And I think there's there's multi-layers 502 00:17:43,280 --> 00:17:44,559 to this. Like you're you're absolutely 503 00:17:44,559 --> 00:17:48,320 right. Like we can um we can vote with 504 00:17:48,320 --> 00:17:51,280 our dollars in a way, right? Um and we 505 00:17:51,280 --> 00:17:52,960 can vote so we can choose who we do 506 00:17:52,960 --> 00:17:55,039 business with because you know the world 507 00:17:55,039 --> 00:17:57,840 is diverse. So, you know, if they don't 508 00:17:57,840 --> 00:18:00,320 believe in diversity, maybe they don't 509 00:18:00,320 --> 00:18:02,400 need diverse consumers. That's how it 510 00:18:02,400 --> 00:18:05,440 is, you know. Yeah. And yes, I agree 511 00:18:05,440 --> 00:18:08,720 with you on on not leading with, oh, I'm 512 00:18:08,720 --> 00:18:10,720 a I'm a black person, so support me, 513 00:18:10,720 --> 00:18:12,799 right? But there's value in that you 514 00:18:12,799 --> 00:18:16,880 have a tribe and the tribe is, you know, 515 00:18:16,880 --> 00:18:20,320 black people buy things a lot just like 516 00:18:20,320 --> 00:18:22,240 everybody else, probably more. So like 517 00:18:22,240 --> 00:18:24,640 there is value in the tribe that you 518 00:18:24,640 --> 00:18:26,240 bring and you bring forth the data as 519 00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:28,320 you said you bring forth uh you know 520 00:18:28,320 --> 00:18:30,000 what you do well and that does have 521 00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:32,400 value and for those that uh that don't 522 00:18:32,400 --> 00:18:34,080 understand it they're not they're not 523 00:18:34,080 --> 00:18:35,520 they're not your corporate tribe 524 00:18:35,520 --> 00:18:36,640 different tribe from your community 525 00:18:36,640 --> 00:18:39,280 tribe your corporate tribe but also one 526 00:18:39,280 --> 00:18:40,880 point I'd like to make I think someone 527 00:18:40,880 --> 00:18:43,120 talked about this current environment 528 00:18:43,120 --> 00:18:46,400 you may not agree uh and I certainly do 529 00:18:46,400 --> 00:18:49,120 not how things are being phrased uh and 530 00:18:49,120 --> 00:18:51,120 how they're trying to scapegoat 531 00:18:51,120 --> 00:18:54,640 diversity university as uh unqualified 532 00:18:54,640 --> 00:18:56,400 to say what they're they're saying the 533 00:18:56,400 --> 00:18:58,000 quiet part out loud that if you're black 534 00:18:58,000 --> 00:18:59,840 if you're this if you're a woman 535 00:18:59,840 --> 00:19:01,919 particularly if you're a black woman uh 536 00:19:01,919 --> 00:19:03,600 you are not qualified because you're a 537 00:19:03,600 --> 00:19:07,120 DEI hired that is trying to do but what 538 00:19:07,120 --> 00:19:09,200 I would say is you don't you don't have 539 00:19:09,200 --> 00:19:13,840 to you have to adapt but do not adopt 540 00:19:13,840 --> 00:19:16,320 any of their thinking uh because if you 541 00:19:16,320 --> 00:19:17,919 want to change this world you have to do 542 00:19:17,919 --> 00:19:20,000 what you're doing is you have to become 543 00:19:20,000 --> 00:19:21,120 a builder 544 00:19:21,120 --> 00:19:22,240 That's how we're going to have to do it 545 00:19:22,240 --> 00:19:24,880 and figure out ways to help and to use 546 00:19:24,880 --> 00:19:27,200 your words enable other builders. Yeah, 547 00:19:27,200 --> 00:19:29,520 I love what you say. I you need to to 548 00:19:29,520 --> 00:19:31,280 adapt and not to adapt. And that's a 549 00:19:31,280 --> 00:19:32,880 perfect example of what we had to do 550 00:19:32,880 --> 00:19:36,000 with um our nonprofit because DGA Black 551 00:19:36,000 --> 00:19:38,960 and Tech my other entity. You know, the 552 00:19:38,960 --> 00:19:41,280 we need to detach oursel from DNI. But 553 00:19:41,280 --> 00:19:43,919 what we what we know is that there's a 554 00:19:43,919 --> 00:19:47,200 major digital skill gap right in Europe, 555 00:19:47,200 --> 00:19:48,880 in the UK. And that's something that you 556 00:19:48,880 --> 00:19:51,440 cannot deny. You can get as as many men 557 00:19:51,440 --> 00:19:53,120 as you want, but you need more women to 558 00:19:53,120 --> 00:19:54,559 be able to fight this. So, if you want 559 00:19:54,559 --> 00:19:57,360 to remain a strong country, there's 560 00:19:57,360 --> 00:19:58,640 trust that you need to make sure that 561 00:19:58,640 --> 00:20:01,760 your your your your people are qualified 562 00:20:01,760 --> 00:20:03,440 to take those big roles and technology 563 00:20:03,440 --> 00:20:05,280 is leading and everybody's scared of 564 00:20:05,280 --> 00:20:07,760 China and whatsoever. So, if you want to 565 00:20:07,760 --> 00:20:09,520 stay relevant, something needs to happen 566 00:20:09,520 --> 00:20:11,520 in that case. Absolutely. John O'Brien 567 00:20:11,520 --> 00:20:13,600 FLLA says this all the time. He says, 568 00:20:13,600 --> 00:20:15,280 you know, math doesn't have an opinion. 569 00:20:15,280 --> 00:20:16,960 That's why he likes it. Right. There's 570 00:20:16,960 --> 00:20:18,799 this is a simple fact not a racial 571 00:20:18,799 --> 00:20:21,360 statement. There's not enough white men 572 00:20:21,360 --> 00:20:24,080 in the world to do everything and to 573 00:20:24,080 --> 00:20:25,760 fulfill what has to happen. There's not 574 00:20:25,760 --> 00:20:30,000 enough uh white purely men in tech or 575 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:32,240 anything. There's not enough and we have 576 00:20:32,240 --> 00:20:35,200 a diverse population in the world. So 577 00:20:35,200 --> 00:20:36,799 you want to serve Africa, you want to 578 00:20:36,799 --> 00:20:39,840 serve Latin America, you need to have 579 00:20:39,840 --> 00:20:42,880 diversity of talent there because also 580 00:20:42,880 --> 00:20:46,080 knowing how to reach people matters. 581 00:20:46,080 --> 00:20:47,919 Understanding how to build for people 582 00:20:47,919 --> 00:20:49,679 and you can see it less about race, more 583 00:20:49,679 --> 00:20:52,240 about culture. The culture of 584 00:20:52,240 --> 00:20:54,320 African-Americans, for example, is very 585 00:20:54,320 --> 00:20:57,360 different from the culture probably of 586 00:20:57,360 --> 00:20:58,880 uh you know, Africans that are based in 587 00:20:58,880 --> 00:21:00,960 London. That's just my guess, right? So 588 00:21:00,960 --> 00:21:02,159 understanding the culture of where 589 00:21:02,159 --> 00:21:04,000 you're from really really really 590 00:21:04,000 --> 00:21:06,080 matters. So it's uh and it's an 591 00:21:06,080 --> 00:21:08,799 opportunity to make money not to, you 592 00:21:08,799 --> 00:21:10,960 know, not to uh shut it off. So people 593 00:21:10,960 --> 00:21:12,880 are really shutting off opportunity and 594 00:21:12,880 --> 00:21:15,600 there's just not enough qualified 595 00:21:15,600 --> 00:21:18,799 trained white men in tech or in the 596 00:21:18,799 --> 00:21:20,640 world to make up for the deficit. So 597 00:21:20,640 --> 00:21:23,600 we're it's it's actually good for the 598 00:21:23,600 --> 00:21:27,120 economy when more people are trained and 599 00:21:27,120 --> 00:21:29,120 have access to technology. And that's 600 00:21:29,120 --> 00:21:30,720 why like you know what you do what what 601 00:21:30,720 --> 00:21:32,480 you do for so much tribe building is so 602 00:21:32,480 --> 00:21:34,480 so important and I want to get to that 603 00:21:34,480 --> 00:21:35,760 but before we get to that let's talk 604 00:21:35,760 --> 00:21:39,520 about AI. Um you know we AI is obviously 605 00:21:39,520 --> 00:21:41,919 changing uh everything in terms of how 606 00:21:41,919 --> 00:21:44,000 businesses are built what skills you 607 00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:47,280 need as a you you advise a lot of 608 00:21:47,280 --> 00:21:48,960 entrepreneurs. Uh there's a lot of o 609 00:21:48,960 --> 00:21:51,200 entrepreneurs in your communities. Uh 610 00:21:51,200 --> 00:21:53,760 Black Tech Rise your your nonprofit for 611 00:21:53,760 --> 00:21:56,240 black women. uh what advice are you 612 00:21:56,240 --> 00:21:58,400 giving those entrepreneurs and 613 00:21:58,400 --> 00:22:00,000 professionals right now in the age of 614 00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:04,159 AI? Yes, I think we are in the biggest 615 00:22:04,159 --> 00:22:06,960 revolution that we can possibly imagine 616 00:22:06,960 --> 00:22:08,720 right now and we have to jump on the 617 00:22:08,720 --> 00:22:10,159 wagon if we don't want to be left 618 00:22:10,159 --> 00:22:13,360 behind. Whether you like AI or AI or 619 00:22:13,360 --> 00:22:15,679 not, you have to understand it. You have 620 00:22:15,679 --> 00:22:17,919 to apply it. You have to utilize it. You 621 00:22:17,919 --> 00:22:19,039 know what's so funny? I was doing an 622 00:22:19,039 --> 00:22:20,799 interview a few months ago with when I 623 00:22:20,799 --> 00:22:22,240 was looking for a marketing person and I 624 00:22:22,240 --> 00:22:24,159 asked her how do you how do you intend 625 00:22:24,159 --> 00:22:25,760 to implement AI in your role? And she 626 00:22:25,760 --> 00:22:28,400 say I do not. And I say, "Why is that?" 627 00:22:28,400 --> 00:22:30,400 Because I a marketing person said they 628 00:22:30,400 --> 00:22:33,799 were not gonna do 629 00:22:34,400 --> 00:22:38,320 heard you. I know. And I And I say, "Can 630 00:22:38,320 --> 00:22:39,679 you tell me why?" I said, "Oh, I don't 631 00:22:39,679 --> 00:22:40,880 see the need of it." And I said, "Okay, 632 00:22:40,880 --> 00:22:42,159 let me ask you a question. If I ask you 633 00:22:42,159 --> 00:22:43,520 to write an article, how long would it 634 00:22:43,520 --> 00:22:45,440 take you?" Said, "Brobably, you know, 635 00:22:45,440 --> 00:22:46,880 half a morning." I said, "Like, let me 636 00:22:46,880 --> 00:22:48,960 just tell you. I do in 30 seconds." Yep. 637 00:22:48,960 --> 00:22:50,640 So, and you know, like for her, she was 638 00:22:50,640 --> 00:22:52,080 like, "Wow, she didn't even understand 639 00:22:52,080 --> 00:22:54,559 it." So 640 00:22:54,559 --> 00:22:57,200 there's so it is so important for us to 641 00:22:57,200 --> 00:22:59,840 understand it first of all apply it and 642 00:22:59,840 --> 00:23:02,720 another layers to also create it because 643 00:23:02,720 --> 00:23:05,840 as we know the more we are consumer we 644 00:23:05,840 --> 00:23:08,159 more become victim of choices we build 645 00:23:08,159 --> 00:23:10,720 things biases right that's right and 646 00:23:10,720 --> 00:23:12,799 there's no excuses because there's 647 00:23:12,799 --> 00:23:15,440 plenty of courses available out there to 648 00:23:15,440 --> 00:23:17,039 just say I'm going to spend half of my 649 00:23:17,039 --> 00:23:19,919 lunchtime and learn a bit about you know 650 00:23:19,919 --> 00:23:21,440 and and they're all free they're all 651 00:23:21,440 --> 00:23:23,120 free 652 00:23:23,120 --> 00:23:25,600 learn.microsoft.com 653 00:23:25,600 --> 00:23:28,880 Google has a course on AI. MIT all of 654 00:23:28,880 --> 00:23:32,000 their courses on AI are free 655 00:23:32,000 --> 00:23:33,520 free 656 00:23:33,520 --> 00:23:36,799 ree they're not fake free they're free 657 00:23:36,799 --> 00:23:39,919 and if that's not your cup of tea come 658 00:23:39,919 --> 00:23:41,520 listen to some YouTubes like there's 659 00:23:41,520 --> 00:23:44,640 there's a lot of ways to learn AI right 660 00:23:44,640 --> 00:23:46,080 but I think this there's this mental 661 00:23:46,080 --> 00:23:48,480 block that some in our community have 662 00:23:48,480 --> 00:23:50,080 they think like oh I'm not a technical 663 00:23:50,080 --> 00:23:54,159 person oh that's not me uh or or they 664 00:23:54,159 --> 00:23:55,600 just you know don't think they need it 665 00:23:55,600 --> 00:23:56,960 like you said like I I had this 666 00:23:56,960 --> 00:23:59,039 conversation with my you know with one 667 00:23:59,039 --> 00:24:01,919 of my employees who was debating me 668 00:24:01,919 --> 00:24:03,440 obviously we're AI company so it wasn't 669 00:24:03,440 --> 00:24:05,120 going to be much of a debate here but 670 00:24:05,120 --> 00:24:08,880 it's like why like AI wasn't ready or 671 00:24:08,880 --> 00:24:10,960 you don't need that and you know I'm 672 00:24:10,960 --> 00:24:12,880 patient and heard her out but I said 673 00:24:12,880 --> 00:24:14,720 listen to me I said here's what I know 674 00:24:14,720 --> 00:24:16,400 though I'm going to expect you to 675 00:24:16,400 --> 00:24:18,159 produce at the same level as if you were 676 00:24:18,159 --> 00:24:19,520 using AI that's how I'm going to judge 677 00:24:19,520 --> 00:24:22,960 you right I'm not going to judge you on 678 00:24:22,960 --> 00:24:25,760 on on what a what a person does I'm 679 00:24:25,760 --> 00:24:27,120 going to judge you want a person that 680 00:24:27,120 --> 00:24:29,120 knows how to use AI efficiently. Yeah. 681 00:24:29,120 --> 00:24:30,640 And that's how I expect your output to 682 00:24:30,640 --> 00:24:32,480 be. Uh if it doesn't match that, you 683 00:24:32,480 --> 00:24:33,520 know, there's a problem. And that's how 684 00:24:33,520 --> 00:24:35,200 the that's how that's that's how the 685 00:24:35,200 --> 00:24:36,960 world is going. And there's 686 00:24:36,960 --> 00:24:39,200 opportunities for pe for for folks that 687 00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:40,320 normally didn't have opportunities 688 00:24:40,320 --> 00:24:42,480 because some people, as you say, uh 689 00:24:42,480 --> 00:24:44,880 don't want to move fast. And they will 690 00:24:44,880 --> 00:24:47,200 fast, they will get left behind even 691 00:24:47,200 --> 00:24:48,559 faster than they can even realize 692 00:24:48,559 --> 00:24:50,559 because the world is changing faster 693 00:24:50,559 --> 00:24:52,880 than we can see. Like I believe there's 694 00:24:52,880 --> 00:24:54,720 a there's a multiple studies that said 695 00:24:54,720 --> 00:24:59,039 by 2030 85% of the jobs in 2030 don't 696 00:24:59,039 --> 00:25:01,360 exist right now. 697 00:25:01,360 --> 00:25:03,840 Just think about that's five years. 698 00:25:03,840 --> 00:25:05,200 Absolutely. And the best way is to 699 00:25:05,200 --> 00:25:07,679 always stay relevant is to continuously 700 00:25:07,679 --> 00:25:09,440 learn. Like if you don't continuously 701 00:25:09,440 --> 00:25:11,440 learn, you lose your you lose your 702 00:25:11,440 --> 00:25:13,760 value. You you become less relevant to a 703 00:25:13,760 --> 00:25:15,279 company. that when people choose and 704 00:25:15,279 --> 00:25:16,960 decide who they're going to do their 705 00:25:16,960 --> 00:25:18,320 layoffs, they're going to choose people 706 00:25:18,320 --> 00:25:20,480 who haven't been seen the same role for 707 00:25:20,480 --> 00:25:22,640 such a long time. They choose people who 708 00:25:22,640 --> 00:25:24,320 didn't try to learn new skills. People 709 00:25:24,320 --> 00:25:27,039 have been showcasing drive. You know, 710 00:25:27,039 --> 00:25:27,679 people always think about 711 00:25:27,679 --> 00:25:29,679 entrepreneurship as for business owners. 712 00:25:29,679 --> 00:25:32,080 I think that even if you're an employee 713 00:25:32,080 --> 00:25:34,240 have the entrepreneurship mindset, okay, 714 00:25:34,240 --> 00:25:36,480 what can you do to demonstrate and go 715 00:25:36,480 --> 00:25:38,640 further and so forth like how are you 716 00:25:38,640 --> 00:25:39,760 good at building relationship 717 00:25:39,760 --> 00:25:42,000 internally? So people talk about you at 718 00:25:42,000 --> 00:25:43,840 the table even if you're not even there. 719 00:25:43,840 --> 00:25:45,039 How do you make sure that people make 720 00:25:45,039 --> 00:25:47,039 sure that you are you know at the table 721 00:25:47,039 --> 00:25:48,400 when there's an opportunity they share 722 00:25:48,400 --> 00:25:50,559 that with you or or find your mentors 723 00:25:50,559 --> 00:25:52,880 and build a great team that really that 724 00:25:52,880 --> 00:25:54,799 you can lead the right way. I think 725 00:25:54,799 --> 00:25:57,440 those things are so um I think that we 726 00:25:57,440 --> 00:26:00,159 need to remove that entitlement of 727 00:26:00,159 --> 00:26:02,480 expected to receive. No no no no if you 728 00:26:02,480 --> 00:26:04,080 want something you go and get it. And I 729 00:26:04,080 --> 00:26:05,360 think that's what the change that I want 730 00:26:05,360 --> 00:26:07,520 to see among all of us. If we have that 731 00:26:07,520 --> 00:26:09,440 mindset, remove that entitlement of I 732 00:26:09,440 --> 00:26:10,720 should have received, I should have had 733 00:26:10,720 --> 00:26:14,080 that and ask and work you know for 734 00:26:14,080 --> 00:26:16,159 understand the framework of say like I 735 00:26:16,159 --> 00:26:17,520 want to make I remember when I was a 736 00:26:17,520 --> 00:26:18,960 brother I say I want to make 50k what do 737 00:26:18,960 --> 00:26:20,559 you need to do to make 50k and my boys 738 00:26:20,559 --> 00:26:22,159 be like what say okay I'll come back to 739 00:26:22,159 --> 00:26:23,520 you but at least when I knew what I need 740 00:26:23,520 --> 00:26:24,880 to achieve it's like well I'm working 741 00:26:24,880 --> 00:26:27,279 towards this you know I want I know what 742 00:26:27,279 --> 00:26:29,760 I need to achieve but if you when you 743 00:26:29,760 --> 00:26:31,279 sell a review and you have no idea what 744 00:26:31,279 --> 00:26:32,960 you want and you don't even know what 745 00:26:32,960 --> 00:26:34,720 you do to get there that this is the 746 00:26:34,720 --> 00:26:36,960 problem you should feel in Sure. And 747 00:26:36,960 --> 00:26:40,159 that's so important. Yeah. So, you talk 748 00:26:40,159 --> 00:26:41,840 about building a tribe, right? And and 749 00:26:41,840 --> 00:26:45,120 why that's so important and really uh 750 00:26:45,120 --> 00:26:47,600 how do you advise a person to go about 751 00:26:47,600 --> 00:26:50,640 building a tribe? Like what are the a a 752 00:26:50,640 --> 00:26:52,880 key ingredients for success to build a 753 00:26:52,880 --> 00:26:54,480 tribe? 754 00:26:54,480 --> 00:26:57,039 The key ense and success to build a 755 00:26:57,039 --> 00:26:59,600 great tribe is to find a common problem 756 00:26:59,600 --> 00:27:02,400 that enough people have. Right? So when 757 00:27:02,400 --> 00:27:04,159 I started with GTA black women in tech 758 00:27:04,159 --> 00:27:05,919 the common problem with black men tech 759 00:27:05,919 --> 00:27:08,000 that we were lonely we are often the 760 00:27:08,000 --> 00:27:10,559 only one in the room and also we were 761 00:27:10,559 --> 00:27:13,679 not recognized or we were misunderstood 762 00:27:13,679 --> 00:27:15,679 undervalued. So what you see what are 763 00:27:15,679 --> 00:27:18,080 the common issues of your tribe when you 764 00:27:18,080 --> 00:27:21,679 find that you reinforce that and reverse 765 00:27:21,679 --> 00:27:24,640 that in a way that really now help your 766 00:27:24,640 --> 00:27:27,520 community or your tribe do better. So 767 00:27:27,520 --> 00:27:29,120 that's a simple it doesn't have to be 768 00:27:29,120 --> 00:27:30,960 complicated, right? And then when you 769 00:27:30,960 --> 00:27:33,840 have that then it's just spotlight 770 00:27:33,840 --> 00:27:35,360 individuals that matter. So don't make 771 00:27:35,360 --> 00:27:36,880 it all about you. It's like what can you 772 00:27:36,880 --> 00:27:38,559 do to really showcase for the rest of 773 00:27:38,559 --> 00:27:40,960 the world that actually you the 774 00:27:40,960 --> 00:27:42,400 preconceived ideas that you have about 775 00:27:42,400 --> 00:27:44,559 us are false. So again something when I 776 00:27:44,559 --> 00:27:46,559 launched G black in tech the big ideas 777 00:27:46,559 --> 00:27:47,760 that that there's not enough successful 778 00:27:47,760 --> 00:27:49,760 black women in tech. So for 30 days on 779 00:27:49,760 --> 00:27:51,919 our launch every single day we 780 00:27:51,919 --> 00:27:53,840 highlighted a black woman in tech work 781 00:27:53,840 --> 00:27:57,520 at voice worked at at um AWS work at you 782 00:27:57,520 --> 00:27:59,760 know different brands and so on and they 783 00:27:59,760 --> 00:28:01,840 first of all I think the power of being 784 00:28:01,840 --> 00:28:03,919 recognized is so important for people 785 00:28:03,919 --> 00:28:06,720 which is more than money was great two 786 00:28:06,720 --> 00:28:08,880 was wow you exist I'm not the only one 787 00:28:08,880 --> 00:28:10,320 and then you bring them into the same 788 00:28:10,320 --> 00:28:11,840 room that becomes even more powerful 789 00:28:11,840 --> 00:28:13,600 because they feel like wow I can talk 790 00:28:13,600 --> 00:28:15,520 about to someone who understand my 791 00:28:15,520 --> 00:28:17,440 challenges and then when we have panel 792 00:28:17,440 --> 00:28:19,440 discussion and so forth of we are really 793 00:28:19,440 --> 00:28:21,520 supporting each other and then naturally 794 00:28:21,520 --> 00:28:24,159 people want to give back right so 795 00:28:24,159 --> 00:28:26,640 there's so much power why having a tribe 796 00:28:26,640 --> 00:28:29,360 is so much important is that you then 797 00:28:29,360 --> 00:28:32,159 give power for your tribe member to 798 00:28:32,159 --> 00:28:34,240 recognize theirs so they can act on your 799 00:28:34,240 --> 00:28:36,559 behalf so what I mean by that is that 800 00:28:36,559 --> 00:28:38,399 when I build my tribe and when I've 801 00:28:38,399 --> 00:28:39,520 people said to me how did you acquire 802 00:28:39,520 --> 00:28:41,039 all this brand to become your sponsors 803 00:28:41,039 --> 00:28:43,520 that it was just people from my my tribe 804 00:28:43,520 --> 00:28:45,919 who recommended me to their company they 805 00:28:45,919 --> 00:28:47,679 made the entrance so easy it's like oh 806 00:28:47,679 --> 00:28:49,120 flilla she's doing some great thing. You 807 00:28:49,120 --> 00:28:50,960 need to speak to her. And that's it. And 808 00:28:50,960 --> 00:28:53,039 it was no hardcore sale or da da. I 809 00:28:53,039 --> 00:28:55,440 didn't have to do cold calling. They 810 00:28:55,440 --> 00:28:56,960 they knew what we wanted to achieve. 811 00:28:56,960 --> 00:28:58,720 They wanted to be part of that change. 812 00:28:58,720 --> 00:29:01,200 And now they could see that wait, I I'm 813 00:29:01,200 --> 00:29:02,720 part of the tribe and I can be part I 814 00:29:02,720 --> 00:29:05,120 can do something about it. And so 815 00:29:05,120 --> 00:29:06,960 building a tribe is to empower your 816 00:29:06,960 --> 00:29:08,399 people. Absolutely. That's what's 817 00:29:08,399 --> 00:29:10,960 important. empower people by giving them 818 00:29:10,960 --> 00:29:12,880 a sense of courage or giving them great 819 00:29:12,880 --> 00:29:14,960 knowledge but also connecting them in a 820 00:29:14,960 --> 00:29:16,799 sense that they can feel that they don't 821 00:29:16,799 --> 00:29:18,799 have to go through that journey alone 822 00:29:18,799 --> 00:29:20,480 and that's really what made a difference 823 00:29:20,480 --> 00:29:23,279 for us. Yeah. If I had to sum up what 824 00:29:23,279 --> 00:29:26,799 you what you said and why why why 825 00:29:26,799 --> 00:29:29,600 communities uh work and how you can 826 00:29:29,600 --> 00:29:32,799 build a successful tribe, it feels like 827 00:29:32,799 --> 00:29:35,679 it's seeing people like really seeing 828 00:29:35,679 --> 00:29:38,880 their humanity, seeing their problems 829 00:29:38,880 --> 00:29:40,880 and then being like you said being an 830 00:29:40,880 --> 00:29:42,880 enabler to actually solve them. 831 00:29:42,880 --> 00:29:46,080 oftentimes we can't see past ourselves 832 00:29:46,080 --> 00:29:48,080 and that gives us a way of actually 833 00:29:48,080 --> 00:29:50,320 being able to create that tribe which 834 00:29:50,320 --> 00:29:52,000 actually will help our tribe and 835 00:29:52,000 --> 00:29:54,399 ourselves. So often it's us that are 836 00:29:54,399 --> 00:29:56,559 blocking our own blessings if you will 837 00:29:56,559 --> 00:29:58,720 or blocking the opportunity because you 838 00:29:58,720 --> 00:30:00,480 know we can't see other people. And then 839 00:30:00,480 --> 00:30:02,559 when you don't see other people, uh, 840 00:30:02,559 --> 00:30:04,720 that's also when bad things and evil 841 00:30:04,720 --> 00:30:06,640 things or horrible things happen. 842 00:30:06,640 --> 00:30:08,880 Because I think, um, you know, people 843 00:30:08,880 --> 00:30:12,880 think the opposite of of of 844 00:30:12,880 --> 00:30:16,960 love is is hate and hate is bad, but 845 00:30:16,960 --> 00:30:20,679 indifference is worse, 846 00:30:20,880 --> 00:30:22,000 right? And a lot of people are 847 00:30:22,000 --> 00:30:25,039 indifferent to other struggles. And 848 00:30:25,039 --> 00:30:26,480 that's why there's opportunities to 849 00:30:26,480 --> 00:30:28,640 solve problems like your community. But 850 00:30:28,640 --> 00:30:30,399 uh it's also an opportunity for all of 851 00:30:30,399 --> 00:30:32,000 us to be really I think better human 852 00:30:32,000 --> 00:30:34,799 beings and I connect that to right now 853 00:30:34,799 --> 00:30:37,919 because in we are building technology 854 00:30:37,919 --> 00:30:40,320 there's a lot of power but we want to 855 00:30:40,320 --> 00:30:42,799 make sure that there's always uh that we 856 00:30:42,799 --> 00:30:44,559 that we are considering humans behind 857 00:30:44,559 --> 00:30:46,240 what we're building uh because we're 858 00:30:46,240 --> 00:30:48,000 getting to this point where people are 859 00:30:48,000 --> 00:30:49,600 thinking that you know technology can 860 00:30:49,600 --> 00:30:51,840 completely replace all of uh human 861 00:30:51,840 --> 00:30:53,760 interaction human intimacy. I don't 862 00:30:53,760 --> 00:30:54,720 believe that. I think there's going to 863 00:30:54,720 --> 00:30:56,399 be more of a craving for that. And so 864 00:30:56,399 --> 00:30:57,360 let's talk a little bit about the 865 00:30:57,360 --> 00:30:59,120 community that you're building around 866 00:30:59,120 --> 00:31:01,760 tech, black tech rise, how you came to 867 00:31:01,760 --> 00:31:04,240 do that and and what you are solving. So 868 00:31:04,240 --> 00:31:05,840 first of all, like I understand the big 869 00:31:05,840 --> 00:31:08,000 picture is the is black tech rise bring 870 00:31:08,000 --> 00:31:10,080 black tech entrepreneurs together all 871 00:31:10,080 --> 00:31:12,880 across the world. Um first question for 872 00:31:12,880 --> 00:31:15,279 you, why was it you that built black 873 00:31:15,279 --> 00:31:18,320 tech rise? Okay, first of all, black 874 00:31:18,320 --> 00:31:21,200 rise. There's no tech in it. All right, 875 00:31:21,200 --> 00:31:22,399 I'll get it right. So let make sure. 876 00:31:22,399 --> 00:31:25,360 person 877 00:31:25,360 --> 00:31:28,159 a lot of time. So, black rice, right? I 878 00:31:28,159 --> 00:31:31,840 say text so much text. 879 00:31:31,840 --> 00:31:33,760 I'll ask the question again and retape 880 00:31:33,760 --> 00:31:35,679 this part. We'll look at this. Uh we're 881 00:31:35,679 --> 00:31:38,640 about 35 minutes in retape this part. Uh 882 00:31:38,640 --> 00:31:40,080 all right. So, I asked a question. So, 883 00:31:40,080 --> 00:31:41,919 Black Rise is a community that you were 884 00:31:41,919 --> 00:31:45,120 building that you have built. First 885 00:31:45,120 --> 00:31:48,080 question, why was it you that launched 886 00:31:48,080 --> 00:31:51,279 Black Rise? Yes, I love this question. 887 00:31:51,279 --> 00:31:53,919 One thing that you will know about me is 888 00:31:53,919 --> 00:31:58,399 that nothing of what I do is is um by 889 00:31:58,399 --> 00:32:00,960 random. It's always very much a 890 00:32:00,960 --> 00:32:03,120 consequences and it's organic of 891 00:32:03,120 --> 00:32:06,799 actions. So launching three colors all 892 00:32:06,799 --> 00:32:09,200 my first businesses which was my agency 893 00:32:09,200 --> 00:32:11,120 and then focusing this agency and 894 00:32:11,120 --> 00:32:14,240 working in technology led to me creating 895 00:32:14,240 --> 00:32:16,799 GTA black women tech. Then we launch 896 00:32:16,799 --> 00:32:18,640 when DJ Blackman Techch became such a 897 00:32:18,640 --> 00:32:21,840 huge baby with over 22 we're more than 898 00:32:21,840 --> 00:32:26,880 22,000 now across um across Europe and I 899 00:32:26,880 --> 00:32:28,880 heard you again like when you build a 900 00:32:28,880 --> 00:32:31,039 tribe it's also important to listen to 901 00:32:31,039 --> 00:32:33,679 what people are telling you and so I've 902 00:32:33,679 --> 00:32:36,720 built my name with through DJ Black Men 903 00:32:36,720 --> 00:32:39,039 in tech and but what also I heard was 904 00:32:39,039 --> 00:32:41,360 I'm not a man I can I don't feel like I 905 00:32:41,360 --> 00:32:43,039 can join oh I'm not in tech but I love 906 00:32:43,039 --> 00:32:44,080 what you're doing but I don't feel like 907 00:32:44,080 --> 00:32:47,200 I can join but also So what I was 908 00:32:47,200 --> 00:32:49,840 looking for was a place where I could 909 00:32:49,840 --> 00:32:52,080 discover okay so before that is that 910 00:32:52,080 --> 00:32:53,840 when I launched G black men tech inspire 911 00:32:53,840 --> 00:32:55,360 other black women to launch as well 912 00:32:55,360 --> 00:32:56,640 their community which I love I think 913 00:32:56,640 --> 00:32:58,559 there's enough place for all of us to do 914 00:32:58,559 --> 00:33:00,720 something right but what I realized that 915 00:33:00,720 --> 00:33:02,480 there were so many great interesting 916 00:33:02,480 --> 00:33:03,600 communities that they were discovering 917 00:33:03,600 --> 00:33:05,279 but I was like how I've never heard 918 00:33:05,279 --> 00:33:07,600 about you so I was looking for place 919 00:33:07,600 --> 00:33:09,919 myself where I could find an ecosystem 920 00:33:09,919 --> 00:33:12,000 where I could discover everything black 921 00:33:12,000 --> 00:33:14,240 own or black focus and I couldn't find 922 00:33:14,240 --> 00:33:17,440 it So again, I'm a marketer. Before I I 923 00:33:17,440 --> 00:33:19,120 I go crazy and start launching an idea, 924 00:33:19,120 --> 00:33:20,960 I always test it and I say like I'm 925 00:33:20,960 --> 00:33:22,720 about to do this who is interested 926 00:33:22,720 --> 00:33:24,640 please let me know and people people 927 00:33:24,640 --> 00:33:26,080 came back to me and say wow we're 928 00:33:26,080 --> 00:33:28,000 interested about the idea and and if you 929 00:33:28,000 --> 00:33:29,600 are interested join be on the mailing 930 00:33:29,600 --> 00:33:31,279 list and that's basically how I all 931 00:33:31,279 --> 00:33:33,919 started. The reason why I was the person 932 00:33:33,919 --> 00:33:37,200 to do this is because I wasn't a no one 933 00:33:37,200 --> 00:33:39,840 but also vent and pretentious and I've 934 00:33:39,840 --> 00:33:42,000 also built a level of authority and 935 00:33:42,000 --> 00:33:43,919 friendship with a number of black 936 00:33:43,919 --> 00:33:46,640 leaders who are also powerful across a 937 00:33:46,640 --> 00:33:49,120 number of large enterprises which is 938 00:33:49,120 --> 00:33:52,399 also why my entarian fund raise has been 939 00:33:52,399 --> 00:33:55,600 backed up by black um black leaders 940 00:33:55,600 --> 00:33:58,799 only. So my fund raise is fully 100% 941 00:33:58,799 --> 00:34:00,960 black funded. And people say to me, how 942 00:34:00,960 --> 00:34:02,559 do you do that when black people don't 943 00:34:02,559 --> 00:34:04,640 invest in each other? It's not the fact 944 00:34:04,640 --> 00:34:05,679 that we don't invest in each other. It's 945 00:34:05,679 --> 00:34:06,799 like we don't even know where to find 946 00:34:06,799 --> 00:34:08,639 people to invest in or maybe we don't 947 00:34:08,639 --> 00:34:10,399 even know if we can invest in or we 948 00:34:10,399 --> 00:34:12,159 don't even know where to start. So we 949 00:34:12,159 --> 00:34:14,240 have a lot of of mindset blockers that 950 00:34:14,240 --> 00:34:16,320 we have. But when you know the person, 951 00:34:16,320 --> 00:34:17,839 when you've seen what they've done, so a 952 00:34:17,839 --> 00:34:19,839 lot of people who invested in me who are 953 00:34:19,839 --> 00:34:21,520 first- time investors, like I believe in 954 00:34:21,520 --> 00:34:23,440 you, so I'm going to come. I know that 955 00:34:23,440 --> 00:34:24,639 you're going to make this work. I know 956 00:34:24,639 --> 00:34:27,679 you I've I've seen your work ethic. So 957 00:34:27,679 --> 00:34:29,359 when I say to people what's important is 958 00:34:29,359 --> 00:34:33,599 that for me if I if I didn't have if I 959 00:34:33,599 --> 00:34:35,440 haven't built my personal brand the one 960 00:34:35,440 --> 00:34:37,839 that I have built throughout years I 961 00:34:37,839 --> 00:34:39,119 would have not been the right person to 962 00:34:39,119 --> 00:34:40,560 build black rice because it would have 963 00:34:40,560 --> 00:34:42,240 taken me a lot of hard work to go 964 00:34:42,240 --> 00:34:44,480 through the hurdles and I really that's 965 00:34:44,480 --> 00:34:46,320 why I'm I'm comfortable saying to people 966 00:34:46,320 --> 00:34:47,760 please go try and do it if you think 967 00:34:47,760 --> 00:34:51,119 it's easy please do it right because it 968 00:34:51,119 --> 00:34:53,119 it's um it's been a long time coming and 969 00:34:53,119 --> 00:34:54,240 I always say that you don't build your 970 00:34:54,240 --> 00:34:55,679 network for today you build it for 971 00:34:55,679 --> 00:34:57,760 tomorrow what are you doing now that 972 00:34:57,760 --> 00:34:59,200 will sell or serve you when you need it? 973 00:34:59,200 --> 00:35:00,480 What are you doing to help somebody? 974 00:35:00,480 --> 00:35:01,680 What are you doing every day to really 975 00:35:01,680 --> 00:35:04,640 build new relationship and really can't 976 00:35:04,640 --> 00:35:06,400 underestimate how important it is to 977 00:35:06,400 --> 00:35:08,560 network? People say, "Oh yeah, majority 978 00:35:08,560 --> 00:35:11,119 of of white men get funded because they 979 00:35:11,119 --> 00:35:12,800 probably have daddy who's like well 980 00:35:12,800 --> 00:35:14,880 connected with you know whatsoever and 981 00:35:14,880 --> 00:35:17,040 therefore it's easy to get the money but 982 00:35:17,040 --> 00:35:18,400 networking started early too. There's 983 00:35:18,400 --> 00:35:20,480 there's a there's a the network starts 984 00:35:20,480 --> 00:35:23,760 at their schools that are also in fifth 985 00:35:23,760 --> 00:35:25,280 grade. Like that's literally the the 986 00:35:25,280 --> 00:35:28,800 networking starts early like and so we 987 00:35:28,800 --> 00:35:30,880 don't normally have those levels but 988 00:35:30,880 --> 00:35:33,280 there's other ways one of my mentors 989 00:35:33,280 --> 00:35:35,680 said this he said as a community we're 990 00:35:35,680 --> 00:35:37,599 not poor we're just poorly organized 991 00:35:37,599 --> 00:35:40,880 sometimes I love that poorly organized I 992 00:35:40,880 --> 00:35:42,079 think that's exactly that poorly 993 00:35:42,079 --> 00:35:44,480 organized we don't we don't know what we 994 00:35:44,480 --> 00:35:45,760 don't know so therefore we make 995 00:35:45,760 --> 00:35:48,160 assumptions or maybe we have self-belief 996 00:35:48,160 --> 00:35:50,560 self-doubt but again this is why tribes 997 00:35:50,560 --> 00:35:52,640 and communities are so important because 998 00:35:52,640 --> 00:35:54,079 that's why you got to join black R 999 00:35:54,079 --> 00:35:55,359 that's that's what you're going to do 1000 00:35:55,359 --> 00:35:57,839 black rise and and we and black rise and 1001 00:35:57,839 --> 00:35:59,440 that's why I say that black rise I don't 1002 00:35:59,440 --> 00:36:00,640 want people to see black rice as a 1003 00:36:00,640 --> 00:36:03,520 community is the ecosystem where all the 1004 00:36:03,520 --> 00:36:06,240 communities who are black focus but also 1005 00:36:06,240 --> 00:36:08,160 the companies of all black all 1006 00:36:08,160 --> 00:36:09,839 background big and small how would you 1007 00:36:09,839 --> 00:36:13,119 describe your story retrov 1008 00:36:13,119 --> 00:36:14,960 uh how would you describe it like how 1009 00:36:14,960 --> 00:36:17,839 does it work black rise yeah so the best 1010 00:36:17,839 --> 00:36:19,520 way to describe black rise it's and 1011 00:36:19,520 --> 00:36:21,200 because people compare us a lot to 1012 00:36:21,200 --> 00:36:23,520 LinkedIn is that we socially created to 1013 00:36:23,520 --> 00:36:25,200 appeal to the black community in a sense 1014 00:36:25,200 --> 00:36:27,680 that there be a there will be the 1015 00:36:27,680 --> 00:36:29,280 learning area where you can learn from 1016 00:36:29,280 --> 00:36:31,280 lots of black experts across a number of 1017 00:36:31,280 --> 00:36:33,200 industries. Right? You will discover 1018 00:36:33,200 --> 00:36:34,880 groups and communities that are focused 1019 00:36:34,880 --> 00:36:36,320 specifically on different jobs. So black 1020 00:36:36,320 --> 00:36:39,119 in sales, black in techa and so on. But 1021 00:36:39,119 --> 00:36:40,800 also most importantly is that people can 1022 00:36:40,800 --> 00:36:42,640 monetize their community. So for 1023 00:36:42,640 --> 00:36:46,560 example, it wasn't even a competitor but 1024 00:36:46,560 --> 00:36:48,240 people you can build your community but 1025 00:36:48,240 --> 00:36:50,320 you don't make any revenue from it or 1026 00:36:50,320 --> 00:36:51,359 you know when you people utilize 1027 00:36:51,359 --> 00:36:52,800 WhatsApp but it's messy. you don't know 1028 00:36:52,800 --> 00:36:53,839 who's talking about that and then 1029 00:36:53,839 --> 00:36:55,520 sometime you come in like oh my gosh I 1030 00:36:55,520 --> 00:36:57,520 can't follow up so it's organized in the 1031 00:36:57,520 --> 00:36:59,200 sense that you can create discussion 1032 00:36:59,200 --> 00:37:00,880 people come and join the conversation 1033 00:37:00,880 --> 00:37:04,720 you can like like what's a secure too 1034 00:37:04,720 --> 00:37:06,960 not as is not a secure like WhatsApp or 1035 00:37:06,960 --> 00:37:10,000 signal too similar yeah similar yeah all 1036 00:37:10,000 --> 00:37:11,280 of these things that are important so 1037 00:37:11,280 --> 00:37:13,280 I've I've looked at what I love I love 1038 00:37:13,280 --> 00:37:15,280 from some of the text tech companies 1039 00:37:15,280 --> 00:37:17,359 that are there and made it different and 1040 00:37:17,359 --> 00:37:19,119 better and what I was what I couldn't 1041 00:37:19,119 --> 00:37:22,240 find and I think that I'm the first one 1042 00:37:22,240 --> 00:37:24,160 who saw the challenges I had building a 1043 00:37:24,160 --> 00:37:25,280 community and I was looking for 1044 00:37:25,280 --> 00:37:26,960 something better. But most importantly 1045 00:37:26,960 --> 00:37:28,480 as well for companies who are either 1046 00:37:28,480 --> 00:37:31,200 looking for black consumers or black 1047 00:37:31,200 --> 00:37:33,599 talent they lack of data you know 1048 00:37:33,599 --> 00:37:34,960 sometime they don't have the data to 1049 00:37:34,960 --> 00:37:37,200 know if this is performing well they go 1050 00:37:37,200 --> 00:37:38,800 and spend loads of money during black 1051 00:37:38,800 --> 00:37:40,800 months and say yeah yeah I've done this 1052 00:37:40,800 --> 00:37:42,720 and it didn't work out but actually it's 1053 00:37:42,720 --> 00:37:46,000 a continuous you know um journey that 1054 00:37:46,000 --> 00:37:47,760 you need to do you can't just invest in 1055 00:37:47,760 --> 00:37:49,920 black talent or during black months you 1056 00:37:49,920 --> 00:37:51,359 have to do it throughout the year so 1057 00:37:51,359 --> 00:37:52,640 what are you doing to also understand 1058 00:37:52,640 --> 00:37:54,720 the data what are you doing to also 1059 00:37:54,720 --> 00:37:56,079 continue building that relationship ship 1060 00:37:56,079 --> 00:37:57,520 with those with those brands because 1061 00:37:57,520 --> 00:37:58,880 that's what happened. We realize that 1062 00:37:58,880 --> 00:38:00,240 they haven't built a relationship with 1063 00:38:00,240 --> 00:38:03,440 with those um with our tribes and then 1064 00:38:03,440 --> 00:38:05,520 when they come it's pretty much like oh 1065 00:38:05,520 --> 00:38:06,720 I don't know if I will fit in your 1066 00:38:06,720 --> 00:38:07,839 company. I don't know if I want to be 1067 00:38:07,839 --> 00:38:10,160 the only black person in the company. 1068 00:38:10,160 --> 00:38:12,000 Right? So all these things that I've 1069 00:38:12,000 --> 00:38:13,839 learned from past experiences and 1070 00:38:13,839 --> 00:38:15,359 utilize it to really give people the 1071 00:38:15,359 --> 00:38:17,680 power with understanding the data inside 1072 00:38:17,680 --> 00:38:19,680 that sit behind every action that they 1073 00:38:19,680 --> 00:38:22,000 do. Okay. No, that's okay. So a couple 1074 00:38:22,000 --> 00:38:23,599 of lightning round questions I like to 1075 00:38:23,599 --> 00:38:27,200 ask folks. So, um, a year from now, what 1076 00:38:27,200 --> 00:38:30,640 will we be celebrating in your life or 1077 00:38:30,640 --> 00:38:33,680 with Black Rise or anything? Okay. My 1078 00:38:33,680 --> 00:38:34,960 life for Black Rise because it's a 1079 00:38:34,960 --> 00:38:36,880 different thing. 1080 00:38:36,880 --> 00:38:39,520 Go. It's an open-ended question. Okay. 1081 00:38:39,520 --> 00:38:42,560 For Black Rise, really for Black Rise, 1082 00:38:42,560 --> 00:38:45,680 what I want to see is us, you know, 1083 00:38:45,680 --> 00:38:48,320 finding a place where we feel safe, 1084 00:38:48,320 --> 00:38:51,520 finding a place where we can buy black 1085 00:38:51,520 --> 00:38:53,520 more comfort. I think I would say that 1086 00:38:53,520 --> 00:38:54,720 don't buy from someone because they 1087 00:38:54,720 --> 00:38:56,000 black buy from them because they're 1088 00:38:56,000 --> 00:38:59,040 good. So you find the best in best in in 1089 00:38:59,040 --> 00:39:01,040 the in each industry who can support 1090 00:39:01,040 --> 00:39:03,040 you. You can find your own specific 1091 00:39:03,040 --> 00:39:05,440 tribe. You can create your own tribe and 1092 00:39:05,440 --> 00:39:07,839 also companies would have seen the value 1093 00:39:07,839 --> 00:39:10,720 of black talent and black consumers in 1094 00:39:10,720 --> 00:39:12,480 developing their brand. I think what I'm 1095 00:39:12,480 --> 00:39:15,760 trying to do is to improve the economic 1096 00:39:15,760 --> 00:39:17,359 equity. That's that's the intention of 1097 00:39:17,359 --> 00:39:20,160 it is that it's created for black talent 1098 00:39:20,160 --> 00:39:23,040 but it will serve everyone right so if 1099 00:39:23,040 --> 00:39:24,640 you're a company say I want to go into 1100 00:39:24,640 --> 00:39:27,359 the in Nigerian market you can you can 1101 00:39:27,359 --> 00:39:29,119 find people who can help you get there 1102 00:39:29,119 --> 00:39:31,119 you can find the consumers who are there 1103 00:39:31,119 --> 00:39:32,720 and you know and so forth I think that's 1104 00:39:32,720 --> 00:39:34,400 why I'm trying to build a a strong 1105 00:39:34,400 --> 00:39:37,359 ecosystem where we all thrive together 1106 00:39:37,359 --> 00:39:39,280 yeah we'll talk offline I'm curious to 1107 00:39:39,280 --> 00:39:41,119 see about the developers and all that 1108 00:39:41,119 --> 00:39:42,560 stuff behind there so but we'll talk 1109 00:39:42,560 --> 00:39:45,599 more about that offline uh let's say the 1110 00:39:45,599 --> 00:39:47,040 last five years of your life. If it was 1111 00:39:47,040 --> 00:39:49,920 a if it was a chapter in a book, it was 1112 00:39:49,920 --> 00:39:51,440 a chapter, let's say. So, the last five 1113 00:39:51,440 --> 00:39:53,599 years was a chapter, what of your life, 1114 00:39:53,599 --> 00:39:55,520 what would that chapter be about? You 1115 00:39:55,520 --> 00:39:58,400 mean the last next years over the last 1116 00:39:58,400 --> 00:39:59,520 five years? The last five years of your 1117 00:39:59,520 --> 00:40:00,880 life, if it was a chapter, what would 1118 00:40:00,880 --> 00:40:02,960 that chapter be about? The life 1119 00:40:02,960 --> 00:40:04,240 definitely I think, it's funny because 1120 00:40:04,240 --> 00:40:05,920 you asked that and actually written a 1121 00:40:05,920 --> 00:40:07,280 book about how I want my life to 1122 00:40:07,280 --> 00:40:10,960 unleash. I would have definitely been of 1123 00:40:10,960 --> 00:40:13,359 the grit in a sense that I'm here for a 1124 00:40:13,359 --> 00:40:14,800 mission. As soon as I complete that 1125 00:40:14,800 --> 00:40:17,280 admission, then I go and I go and live 1126 00:40:17,280 --> 00:40:18,960 somewhere in Africa. I haven't decided 1127 00:40:18,960 --> 00:40:20,960 the country. But for me, it's just going 1128 00:40:20,960 --> 00:40:23,280 back to pure simplicity 1129 00:40:23,280 --> 00:40:25,520 where I don't feel like a minority, 1130 00:40:25,520 --> 00:40:27,599 where I feel like I'm among people who 1131 00:40:27,599 --> 00:40:30,400 I'm just a human being. This is what I 1132 00:40:30,400 --> 00:40:32,240 want to be able to do that I've made a 1133 00:40:32,240 --> 00:40:35,040 legacy that lives beyond me and I don't 1134 00:40:35,040 --> 00:40:39,160 need to be in a forefront continu. 1135 00:40:43,680 --> 00:40:45,839 Yeah, that's awesome. All right, I got a 1136 00:40:45,839 --> 00:40:47,040 I got a hard one for you. This will be 1137 00:40:47,040 --> 00:40:48,960 the last one. 1138 00:40:48,960 --> 00:40:51,520 What's an important truth you have that 1139 00:40:51,520 --> 00:40:55,880 very few people agree with you on? 1140 00:40:56,079 --> 00:40:59,839 We often look for the solutions outside, 1141 00:40:59,839 --> 00:41:03,760 but it's all within us. So, spend time 1142 00:41:03,760 --> 00:41:06,880 in quiet. Spend time with yourself. You 1143 00:41:06,880 --> 00:41:09,280 have the answer. You just need to know 1144 00:41:09,280 --> 00:41:11,119 that they are there and you'll find it. 1145 00:41:11,119 --> 00:41:13,440 I think sometimes we always on the go 1146 00:41:13,440 --> 00:41:15,119 but actually leave is so much power in 1147 00:41:15,119 --> 00:41:16,960 slowing down and leaving space for 1148 00:41:16,960 --> 00:41:18,800 quietness. 1149 00:41:18,800 --> 00:41:20,960 Yeah, Favlla Fong Gang with Black Rise. 1150 00:41:20,960 --> 00:41:22,800 Honor to have you on disruption now. Of 1151 00:41:22,800 --> 00:41:24,240 course, you can follow her at Black 1152 00:41:24,240 --> 00:41:26,800 Rise. All the great work she's doing in 1153 00:41:26,800 --> 00:41:28,240 Europe now connecting to the United 1154 00:41:28,240 --> 00:41:29,599 States. Look forward to really uh 1155 00:41:29,599 --> 00:41:31,280 working more together, figuring out how 1156 00:41:31,280 --> 00:41:33,200 we can collaborate and make sure that uh 1157 00:41:33,200 --> 00:41:34,800 we keep disrupting. Appreciate you on 1158 00:41:34,800 --> 00:41:38,750 the show. Thank you. 1159 00:41:38,750 --> 00:41:44,439 [Music]